Meet Our Fellows

TPC’s New Fellows for 2017-2018 From left to right: Abby Alexanian, Robin Miller, Shailean Hardy, and Leigh ChandlerPhoto by Michael Brook

The Philanthropy Connection provides Fellowships for women between the ages of 18 and 35 in order to support and encourage the next generation of philanthropists. The Fellowship is open to any young woman who is interested in becoming part of the women’s collective giving movement and who is motivated to help The Philanthropy Connection redefine what it means to be a philanthropist – anyone who donates her time, talents, and/or treasures in an effort to improve the lives of others.

2017-2018

Abby Alexanian graduated from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University with a Master’s in Public Policy and an MBA in Non-profit Management, and holds a BA in International Studies from Vassar College. While at the Heller School, Abby was awarded a fellowship by the Sillerman Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy and spent a summer working with The Boston Foundation conducting research to inform TBF’s strategic plan. She has more than five years of experience as a practitioner and researcher in the non-profit and public sectors, and her previous work has focused on providing crisis intervention services, reducing and preventing adversities in early childhood, violence prevention, and creating equitable, collaborative systems of support for children and families experiencing trauma, poverty, and housing instability. Abby is currently a manager at Root Cause, where she provides social impact consulting services to non-profit organizations.

Leigh Chandler graduated from Davidson College in May 2016 with a degree in English and Communication Studies. A South Carolina native, she moved to Boston shortly after graduating to pursue a job in non-profit development. She currently serves as the Fund Development and Communications Associate at YW Boston. She is responsible for assisting the development team with gift management, donor research, and cultivation of strong relationships with YW Boston’s audience. She is also the coordinator for YW Boston’s Young Professionals Network and serves on the organization’s Advocacy Committee. As a fellow, Leigh is excited to learn more about Boston-specific needs and solutions. In her free time, she enjoys reading, exploring Boston, and pretending she’s the next Top Chef.

Shailean Hardy works as a Financial Coach at Compass Working Capital, a non-profit organization that provides financial education to persons living on a low income. Prior to moving to Boston, she worked as a Case Manager in Pennsylvania overseeing a program that aimed to reduce barriers to stable employment for persons receiving cash welfare. Shailean has a Master’s degree in Environment & Sustainable Development from University College London (UCL) in the UK. Upon completing her Master’s, she spent some time in her home country of Jamaica working at a human rights organization that focuses on legal reform and alleviating police misconduct. Shailean is dedicated to the financial empowerment of racial minorities, immigrants, and other populations who have systematically been disenfranchised from mainstream financial services. She is learning how to be an advocate for decreasing the racial wealth gap. Outside of work, Shailean started a project that provides financial education workshops and individual financial counseling to communities of color in the metro Boston area.

Robin Miller works as a manager at Ceres, a sustainability nonprofit working with the most influential investors and companies to build leadership and drive solutions throughout the economy. Robin’s passions lie in the intersection of sustainability, community, and finance. This has led her on many work-life adventures including leading a trail crew in the Alaskan backcountry, cooking for over 300 people in the mountains of Southern California, and helping customers reach their financial goals as a banker at Citizens Bank. She holds a joint MBA/MS Environmental Science and Policy degree from Clark University and a Bachelor’s in Public Administration from Eastern Michigan University. Outside of work, Robin serves as the Events Co-chair for BASIC-Boston (Building a Sustainable Investment Community) and the Board President of Miranda’s Hearth, a community arts non-profit that builds community through creativity.

2016-2017

Jennifer Angarita graduated from Yale University and has a Master’s in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS). At HKS, she served as a Sheila C. Johnson Fellow at the Center for Public Leadership and is currently working as a fellow with the Ash Center for Innovation and Governance. Her background is in partnership building, policy development, and advocacy for underserved and financially vulnerable communities. As a first generation immigrant, she has a deeply rooted interest in immigration policy. After a stint at the Harvard I-lab, she’s looking to hone in on the intersection of innovation, social impact, and urban policy in Boston.

Jennifer Chesnulovitch currently works as an Employment Specialist at the International Institute of New England (IINE), a non-profit organization that assists refugees and immigrants in becoming productive and engaged members of the Greater Lowell, Boston, and Manchester, NH communities. Before working for IINE, Jennifer received a Master’s in International Relations at the Institut Barcelona d’Estudis Internacionals (IBEI) in Barcelona, Spain. Organizing IBEI’s first student-run conference “Borderlands: What It Means To Be A State” led Jennifer to discover her interest in working with vulnerable populations, specifically refugees and immigrants. Outside of work, Jennifer is completing her thesis, examining how to create richer career paths and US workforce integration for foreign educated immigrants.

Alice Crutcher graduated from Princeton University and the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She is currently the Development Associate at Opportunity Nation, a bipartisan, national campaign comprised of more than 350 cross-sector organizations working together to expand economic mobility and close the opportunity gap in America. While earning her Master’s at Harvard, she interned in the School of Education’s Office of Development and Alumni Relations and at More Than Words, a nonprofit that provides job training for youth in Boston. Before graduate school, Alice spent two years in Washington, DC working for the law firm Mintz Levin and their government relations affiliate ML Strategies. She also spent time as an intern with the U.S. Department of Education and the Office of the Governor of New Jersey.

Bridget Dunn graduated from Wellesley College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Peace and Justice Studies, concentrating on gender and economic justice. While at Wellesley, she interned at the Consortium for Gender, Security, and Human Rights, researching security issues focused on violence against women in ethnic conflicts. Later, she interned with Social Accountability International, assisting with implementing safe and fair working conditions in factories around the world. In 2015, Bridget planned and presented in the panel discussion “Students Generating Peace Activism: Opportunities and Barriers in Academia and Beyond” at the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom’s Centennial Conference in The Hague. She now works in software product management. In her free time, Bridget enjoys volunteering, learning to code, and gardening.

Amanda Hill received a BA in Studio Art and Philosophy from Smith College. She also holds an MS in Nonprofit Management from The New School. Since entering the non-profit realm after college, philanthropy has been an interest for Amanda. Intertwined with that interest, Amanda is devoted to the arts. Her passion for the field originates from her own art making practices and their influence on her life, as well as from her work with a variety of non-profits. Amanda is focused on increasing the awareness and the accessibility of the arts. She advocates for the support of creative expression at large and takes a special interest in a community’s ability to make and experience art. Some of her accomplishments include painting murals in Philadelphia, designing and building a 300 square-foot performance art space, and developing and producing a drawing festival. Amanda currently works at Raw Art Works as a grant writer.

Esther Howe graduated from Grinnell College and has studied, traveled, and lived in Egypt, Morocco, and Jordan. After managing a psycho-social program combating violence against women in Amman, Jordan, Esther returned to Boston to pursue higher education in mental health services while continuing to work in the non-profit sector. Currently, Esther is a Development Associate at Boston Education, Skills & Training (BEST), a workforce development non-profit focused on the hospitality industry. Esther is interested in the intersection of gender, culture, and mental health, as well as poverty alleviation through workforce development. Outside of work Esther volunteers as a hotline counselor at the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center and hones her rock climbing technique.

Tatiana Joyce is a Boston native who graduated from Tufts University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Child Study and Human Development. She was inspired to focus her studies on children and family health after her time as a youth participant, an alumna, a seasonal staff member, and currently the donor relations associate at Crossroads – a youth empowerment non-profit that serves under-resourced and high potential youth of MA in an effort to help them become socially responsible leaders, economically independent citizens, and emotionally connected adults. Outside of work, Tatiana enjoys hiking, taking trips to Duxbury beach, and volunteering at the Standish Humane Society (they only house cats, but she thinks dogs are acceptable). She currently resides in Duxbury.

Crystal Murphy graduated from Pine Manor College with a BA in Psychology. She is currently a family liaison for the Family Independence Initiative Boston. In this role, she is responsible for collecting families’ stories and data about personal growth and adversity along with overseeing the Movement Building Fellowship and other special projects. In her prior role, Crystal worked for the Boston Public School system as a Registration Specialist ensuring quality customer service and information. Crystal is passionate about children and families’ wealth, health, and education, and volunteers with non-profits to support economic mobility for children and families in Haiti. Crystal currently resides in Dorchester and loves to explore nature and science with her two daughters.

Cassandra Trujillo believes that everyone has inherent value and deserves equitable access to opportunities. She holds an EdM in Education Policy and Management from Harvard and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Yale. Currently, Cassandra works as a mentor at Summer Search Boston, where she helps young people build on the strengths that lie within themselves and their communities. Outside of work, Cassandra strives to facilitate access to resources for underserved communities. She cares passionately about all forms of social justice, and is especially interested in the challenge of meeting the social, emotional, and cognitive needs of students from low-income backgrounds. She is honored to join TPC and support social justice organizations working to make the world a better place.

The Philanthropy Connection’s mission is to inspire, teach, and enable all generations of women to engage in collective philanthropy in order to provide grants to charitable organizations that improve the quality of life for low-resource individuals and families living in Massachusetts.